Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Chasix’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Charm  Chrysanthemum  cultivar is provided that is the result of a controlled breeding program. Attractive small daisy-like blossoms are formed in profusion in clusters having yellow-green disc florets and one row of white ray florets. The growth habit is short, bushy, very compact and well-branched with short internodes and yields a generally uniform and spherical overall plant. The foliage is small and dark green, and blends well with the yellow-green and white blossom coloration. The upper surface of the leaves possesses a margin that is light greyed-green in coloration. The response time is approximately eight weeks. The natural flowering time is late-October. When mature the blossoms emit yellow pollen. The plant grows well in pots, and possesses no particular susceptibility to disease and pests.

Botanical/commercial classification: Ajania pacifica/Decorative Pot Mum.

Varietal denomination: cv. ‘Chasix’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Ajania pacifica, and hereafter isreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Chasix’.

The new cultivar of the present invention was created at Nuaillé, Franceduring the course of a controlled breeding program. The seed parent(i.e., the female parent) was an unnamed plant of the species, and thepollen parent (i.e., the male parent) was designated ‘92/27/3’. Neitherparent was patented in the United States. The seeds resulting from thecross were sown and small plants were obtained which were physically andbiologically different from each other. Selective study resulted in theidentification of a single plant of the new cultivar of the presentinvention.

It was found that the new Charm Chrysanthemum cultivar of the presentinvention displays:

(a) a short, bushy, compact, well-branched, and generally sphericalgrowth habit with short internodes,

(b) profusely forms attractive small daisy-like blossoms havingyellow-green disc florets and one row of white ray florets,

(c) forms decorative small dark green foliage with a light greyed-greenmargin on the upper leaf surface,

(d) forms yellow pollen when the blossoms are mature, and

(e) an ability to grow well in pots.

The new cultivar can be grown singly or in clumps in pots. It also canbe grown in the landscape. The yellow-green and white blossoms blendnicely with the gray-green foliage. The plant is self-branching and theinternodes are short. Pinching is helpful to further enhance branchingand produces a large number of shoots; however, such pinching is notnecessary since the plant already is inherently well branched. Thenatural flowering time is late-October.

The new cultivar can be readily distinguished from its parental plants.More specifically, the female parent displays whitish-yellow rayflorets, a less busy growth habit, and is natural floweringapproximately three weeks later than the new cultivar. The ‘92/27/3’male parent forms dissimilar larger flowers with more petals that areslightly squared and serrated, and more typical foliage that lacks alight greyed-green margin on the upper surface that is possessed by thenew cultivar. No other closely related cultivar is known to Applicant.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by the use of cuttings asperformed at Nuaillé, France, in a controlled environment hasdemonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmlyfixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualpropagation.

‘Chasix’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light, day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to grownregulation treatments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying FIG. 1 depicts a typical eighteen week-old plant of‘Chasix’ cultivar while growing in a pot in a greenhouse at Nuaillé,France. The attractive compact spherical growth habit, with asubstantially homogenous coverage of yellow-green and white blossoms,and dark green foliage with a light greyed-green margin on the upperleaf surface are illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The plants described were grown in pots in a greenhouse at Nuaillé,France. No growth regulation was used. The growing conditionsapproximate those commonly utilized for the commercial production ofdecorative pot mums.

General appearance: Short, bushy, and compact with a generally sphericalgrowth habit. The internodes are short and commonly measureapproximately 10 to 25 mm on average. When a cutting is placed duringweek 23 in a four-liter pot, the resulting plant commonly will display aheight of approximately 28 to 30 cm on average and a width ofapproximately 45 to 50 cm on average at the end of flowering during lateOctober.

Foliage: The leaves are approximately 5 to 7 cm in length on average.Each leaf possesses rough serration and consists of five lobes. Thelobes generally possess murcronate tips, the inferior lobe is medium insize, and the sinus between lobes generally is rounded. The upper leafsurface is dark green (near Green Group 139A) and bears a light-coloredmargin of Greyed-Green Group 191A. The under leaf surface also is nearGreyed-Green Group 191A in coloration. The nervure coloration is nearGreen Group 139A on the upper surface and near Greyed-Green Group 191Aon the under surface. The stems are near Greyed-Green Group 195A incoloration, and the petioles are near Greyed-Green Group 191A incoloration.

Flowers: The attractive small daisy-like blossoms are formed inclusters. The buds possess a smooth surface texture, commonly areapproximately 0.5 to 0.7 cm in length on average, and near Green Group137D in coloration. The flower coverage is substantially homogeneousacross the plant. Accordingly, the flowers are so closely grouped as tosubstantially cover the circumference of the dome-shaped plant. Theflower emits a very slight fragrance similar to that of honey. The discflorets are yellow-green and are surrounded by one row of white(slightly whiter than White Group 155C) ray florets when mature. Thenumber of petals per flower commonly approaches 20 and the petalscommonly measure approximately 0.4 to 0.6 cm on average. The flowerdiameter when mature commonly ranges from approximately 10 to 15 mm. Thestigma is near Yellow Group 2A in coloration. The styles, filaments andanthers are so small and slim that it is not possible to determine theircoloration and to provide additional characterization using standardevaluation techniques. Yellow pollen commonly is displayed in the matureblossoms that is near Yellow Group 2A in coloration.

Flower time: The natural flowering time is late-October. The flowerscommonly last approximately 6 to 8 days on average on the plant and suchlongevity commonly is influenced by the environmental conditions thatare encountered.

Response time: The time between the beginning of the short day periodand the flowering date at normal temperature and light intensity isapproximately eight weeks.

Usage: Decorative pot mum. No particular susceptibility to diseases andpests has been observed during the growing of the new cultivar to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Charm Chrysanthemum plantthat displays: (a) a short, bushy, compact, well-branched, and generallyspherical growth habit with short internodes, (b) profusely formsattractive small daisy-like blossoms having yellow-green disc floretsand one row of white ray florets, (c) forms decorative small dark greenleaves with a light greyed-green margin on the upper leaf surface, (d)forms yellow pollen when the blossoms are mature, and (e) an ability togrow well in pots; substantially as illustrated and described.